


Like Coming Home

by toocleverfox



Category: Her Royal Highness - Rachel Hawkins, Royals Series - Rachel Hawkins
Genre: F/F, flora is a drama queen, just two girls being gay and in love, millie brings flora to texas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2020-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:01:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23269612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toocleverfox/pseuds/toocleverfox
Summary: After finishing their last semester at Gregorstoun, Millie brings Flora home for the summer.Millie's already met Flora's friends and family, so it's only fair Flora meets hers.
Relationships: Amelia "Millie" Quint/Flora Baird
Comments: 44
Kudos: 156





	Like Coming Home

When Millie exited the plane, she was immediately blasted by the Texas heat. In the plane’s cabin, the air had been cool and now her goosebumps were rapidly fading as the sun warmed her skin. The heat stuck to her and seeped into her blood as she walked down the steps of the plane. Most people would complain about the heat, about the dryness that was beginning to suck the breath out of her, but after months of the cold and wet of Scotland, she embraced it.

She had gone back to Texas for Christmas break, but at that time it had been cold, as if Millie had brought a little bit of Scotland with her, so it didn’t _really_ feel like she was home. After finishing her last semester of senior year at Gregorstoun, she was able to leave the dreary countryside she’d become accustomed to. 

With the heat clinging to her and warming her from the inside out, she was finally back.

And she wasn’t alone.

 _“This,”_ an accented voice said behind her, “is hell on Earth.” 

Flora stepped down beside her and fanned herself with the magazine she’d been reading on the plane. She wore her signature sunglasses paired with a scowl perfectly plastered on her face. She had the white sweater she was wearing on the plane tucked into the crook of her arm as she took in the airport around them. Millie could never understand how someone could get used to flying on a _private jet,_ but it seemed Flora was perfectly content with it. 

Flora had agreed to fly with Millie to Texas and stay there for two weeks, though her mother hadn’t been too pleased about that decision, but since Millie had met Flora’s family it only seemed right that Flora met hers.

And even though her family definitely wasn’t as interesting as the Royal Family of Scotland, Millie’s point still stood.

Before they had left for the airport, Millie had told Flora that she should dress lightly since it was most definitely sweltering in Texas. Flora had just grumbled and silently changed into a dress. She had put her white sweater on over it, which made sense at the time since Scotland wasn’t exactly _warm._

Millie’s eyes caught on Flora’s nails, light blue to match her dress and sunglasses. Every time Millie looked at her, she felt a slight hiccup in her chest. She leaned over and kissed the scowl off Flora’s face.

“Suck it up, buttercup,” she said and poked Flora’s cheek.

Flora’s scowl returned and she knocked Millie’s hand away. She fanned herself harder and Millie didn’t have the heart to tell her it wouldn’t help. 

Flora huffed and crossed her arms, still fanning. “I am a princess and this is downright barbaric.”

“You want to know what’s barbaric?” Millie asked, and Flora turned to her, one eyebrow quirked up in question. Millie grinned. “Throwing away our bags and almost getting us killed by a _stag.”_

Flora groaned and threw her head back, looking up at the clear, blue sky. “You’ll never let me live that one down, will you?” she asked, rolling her head to the side so she could look at Millie.

“‘Course not. That moment has been ingrained in my mind forever.”

Flora groaned again and Millie knew she was just being her dramatic self, so she pulled Flora in for a hug.

Flora let out an unprincess like squawk and pushed her away. “You’re _sweaty,_ Quint!” she yelled. “I can literally feel your sweat dripping on me!” 

“Oh please, I know you’re really an outdoorsy person.”

“That may be true but I’m still not fond of people’s _sweat._ Even if it is my girlfriend’s.” She threw out her hands, gesturing around them. “And I am _not_ used to this.”

Millie was about to make a snarky remark back when Flora’s bodyguard, Oliver, came out of the plane behind them, carrying their bags.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” Millie squeaked, noticing him carrying her bags. “I can take those,” she offered, reaching out to grab them. 

Oliver smiled at her and moved the luggage out of her grasp. “That’s quite alright, Miss Quint. I’ve got it.”

Millie floundered. “I- I know, but I could-”

He smiled and shook his head, cutting her off. “I don’t mind. Really.”

“Plus, it’s his job,” Flora interjected.

He nodded, eyes twinkling in Flora’s direction. “Plus, it’s my job.” He moved past them down the plane’s steps, and Millie looked at Flora.

Flora noticed her staring and pressed a kiss to her nose, making Millie laugh. “Come on, babe,” she said when she pulled away, reaching for Millie’s hand. “The car’s waiting for us and I for one need to get out of this heat. It’s killing my hair.”

Millie rolled her eyes, but followed Flora, their hands clasped together.

♛ ♡ ♛

The scenery outside the car window slowly morphed into the streets and stores Millie had grown accustomed to since the time she could walk. The freeway turned into a large road and then a small street with houses painted every shade imaginable. 

She had her face pressed to the glass, watching everything pass by. There was the park where she broke her arm when she and Lee jumped off the swings, pretending to have superpowers. And there was her old high school, where she found her love for geology, and over there was the hill where she had raced Jude after they’d first kissed, so giddy with happiness that it caused her to trip up halfway and roll the rest of the way down. 

She had missed Texas while she was overseas, like a deep scar fixing itself, but being back opened wounds that had healed over. 

It was still the same, but after months in Scotland it also seemed so different, like she was looking at it with new eyes.

Maybe it wasn’t Texas that had changed.

Maybe she had. 

As if Flora could sense Millie’s mood changing, she reached across the middle seat, gently taking her hand in her own. Millie squeezed her hand in response. 

The car turned down a road that Millie had memorized like the back of her hand. Something inside of her stirred. 

Pulling into the driveway, Oliver stopped the car and turned around, smiling at them. “For your safety, Your Highness,” he said, inclining his head towards Flora, “I would ask you both to wait while I collect the bags before entering the house.”

Millie and Flora both nodded and exited the car. Flora stretched her back and placed her sunglasses on top of her head, staring up at the house.

Following her line of sight, Millie looked up at her home and smiled. It was just the same as she had left it and it comforted her to see that even though it felt like she’d changed, some things had stayed the same. 

She glanced back at Flora and crossed her arms over her chest. “What?” Millie asked, raising an eyebrow at Flora’s expression. “Did you think all Texans lived on farms and had shooting ranges in their backyards?”

Flora didn’t respond and a laugh bubbled out of Millie’s mouth. 

“You _did,_ didn’t you?” she shrieked in delight. 

_“No,”_ Flora pouted, chin high. “‘Course not.”

Millie rolled her eyes. “Uh huh. Sure.”

Flora’s bodyguard came around the back of the car with their bags and gave Millie a tight smile. “I’m awfully sorry about this, but I’ll need to look around your house to make sure it’s safe. It’s part of my job.”

Flora frowned and crossed her arms. “You don’t-”

Millie cut her off by placing a hand on her shoulder. “No, of course, I understand.”

He smiled graciously and Millie took that as her cue to walk up to the front door. She hadn’t taken her house key with her to Scotland, realizing it would be pointless to have it halfway across the world, so she knocked and rocked back on her heels. Flora gave her hand a quick squeeze, dropping it when the door swung open.

Millie’s dad stood in the entryway, eyes wide. “Millie!” he exclaimed.

“Hi, Dad,” Millie said, slightly choked up.

Her dad rushed forward, wrapping her up in a hug.

Millie hugged him back tightly, closing her eyes. She hadn’t seen him since December and she’d desperately missed his hugs. 

“Is that Millie?” a voice called out and suddenly Millie had another pair of arms around her.

She pulled away and grinned up at the woman before her. “Aunt Vi!” she yelled, dragging her back into the hug.

Her dad pulled back and smiled as he watched them embrace. He glanced at Flora and at her bodyguard behind her, his fond smile turning into a gasp. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry, where are my manners?”

Millie let go of her aunt and put a hand on Flora’s shoulder. “Dad, this is Flora. My girlfriend.”

Her dad smiled warmly, taking Flora’s outstretched hand and shaking it. “It’s wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard lots about you.”

“Only good things, I hope,” Flora responded, that tone of voice she used with adults slowly seeping in. “It’s lovely to meet you, too. And also you,” she said, nodding at Aunt Vi.

Aunt Vi’s eyes slid over to Millie’s. “Oh, she _is_ cute,” she whispered, still loud enough for everyone to hear.

Millie blushed and looked away, causing Flora to laugh. 

She’d gushed about Flora to her family during winter break and by the time she was due back at Gregorstoun, Aunt Vi had been _dying_ to meet her. 

Her words, not Millie’s. 

Oliver cleared his throat. “Mr. Quint, I hope you don’t mind if I take a quick look around your home. It’s nothing personal, I have to do it wherever Her Highness goes,” he said.

“Oh, right, right, of course, I understand, please come in,” Millie’s dad replied, looking a little pale at the use of Flora’s title as he opened the door wider and allowed the three of them to enter the house.

Millie breathed in the scent of her home, unable to hold back her smile.

“Cozy,” Flora said as Oliver made his way through the house.

“Sorry it’s not a castle.”

Flora sniffed. “I suppose I can live with it. For now.”

Millie laughed and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the kitchen, Millie’s father and aunt staying back to talk with Oliver who’d deemed the house safe. 

When they entered the kitchen, Anna looked up from where she was feeding Gus, a large purple stain on the front of her shirt. “Millie!” she exclaimed, rushing over. She hugged Millie, and then pulled back, keeping her hands on Millie’s shoulders. “I was going to go to the door to greet you but then Gus threw a little fit. How are you? You look taller!” Before Millie could answer, she turned to Flora, still grinning. “I’m so sorry, where are my manners? I’m Anna. You must be, um…” she trailed off, clearly not sure how to greet a member of a royal family who was dating her stepdaughter.

Millie didn’t blame her.

Flora smiled. “Just Flora is fine.”

“Right, well, it’s lovely to meet you, Flora. If you’ll excuse me I need to change my shirt,” she said before leaving the kitchen.

Millie walked over to her half-brother in his high chair and knelt down. “Hey, squirt. You got bigger.”

Gus smiled and made grabby hands at her, throwing out random words he’d been learning while she was away.

Flora knelt down next to Millie and held out her pointer finger, causing Gus to latch onto it. “Oh, hello cutie,” Flora cooed. 

Millie felt her insides melt at the scene. “I thought you didn’t like kids,” she said.

Flora gently brushed the hair off his forehead. “I think they’ve rather grown on me,” she smiled at Millie, a small thing that made Millie’s stomach warm.

They were interrupted by Anna coming back into the kitchen in a new shirt, Millie’s aunt and dad and Flora’s bodyguard right behind her.

“Okay,” she said, clapping her hands together. “I have lunch prepared. Are you girls hungry?”

Millie nodded. The plane ride had been long. Hungry was an understatement. “I’ll grab plates.”

♛ ♡ ♛

Lunch went by smoothly, her dad embarrassing her far less than she thought he would. There were a lot of questions thrown Flora’s way about being a princess and all that, but mostly lunch was spent asking about their last semester in high school and what their plans were now. 

Millie merely shrugged, knowing how uncomfortable the topic made Flora. She’d already told Flora she was going to the University of Texas in the fall and she knew they wouldn’t see each other a lot, but Flora had simply waved her hand absently and said they would find some way to make it work.

Neither of them had brought up the topic since that day.

As lunch started to wind down and Millie wondered how she was going to get Flora alone, Aunt Vi spoke up.

“So, we saw you two kiss on TV a while back,” she mentioned casually, smirking. 

Millie blushed and looked down at her plate. She glanced at Flora from the corner of her eye and saw her doing the same thing. She’d already had this discussion with her family during winter break but not when said girlfriend was present. 

“It was sweet,” Aunt Vi continued. “Surprising, but sweet.”

Millie stood up fast, knocking her chair backwards. “Right, um, well, I’m going to show Flora my room now,” Millie announced.

Her dad cleared his throat and gave her a pointed look. “Remember to keep your bedroom door open.” 

Any other time, Millie would have laughed at how it looked like it pained him to say that, but she felt her face flush and she looked away instead. “Oh, uh, yeah, okay,” she answered and yanked Flora up from where she still sat at the table.

As they made their way upstairs, Flora said, “Well, that was awkward.”

Millie groaned, cheeks still burning. The fact that her dad had said it in front of her aunt, Anna, _and_ Flora’s bodyguard made it so much worse. “Let’s just pretend that didn’t happen.”

“Deal,” Flora laughed.

Millie opened the door to her bedroom and left it open ever so slightly, blush returning when Flora wiggled her eyebrows at her. 

“Oh, shut up,” she said, lightly smacking her shoulder. “I want some sort of privacy!”

“I didn’t say anything!” Flora laughed again.

Millie would never get used to how sweet that sound was.

Flora slowly walked around Millie’s room, looking at her pictures, trophies, rocks and other objects she had placed all around. Millie sat on the bed, watching her, trying to figure out what was going through her head whenever she picked up something to inspect closer. 

Finally, Flora turned to her, smiling when she found Millie watching her. She moved over to the bed and sat down beside her, resting her head on Millie’s shoulder.

“I like this room,” she said.

“Mm?” Millie hummed in question, breathing in the scent of Flora’s shampoo.

“It’s very you.”

Millie turned her head to look at her, finding Flora a few inches from her face. Flora’s eyes dropped to Millie’s lips and she leaned in to capture them with her own. It was hot in her bedroom, the AC struggling to keep every room at an even temperature, but Flora’s lips were hotter than the Texas air. 

As Millie’s hands drifted to Flora’s hair and Flora’s hands dug into Millie’s hips, the bedroom door opened and they ripped apart, causing Flora to topple off the bed. 

Aunt Vi stuck her head in the room, smirking. “Didn’t your father tell you to keep your door open?”

“I mean, technically it was-”

Aunt Vi gave her a pointed look and Millie squeaked out in a hurry, “Right, yeah, sorry. I’ll leave it open fully next time.”

Aunt Vi looked down at Flora, a blushing mess on the carpet, and laughed. 

“Oh, to be young and in love,” she sighed as she left the room, pointedly keeping the door open a few inches. 

Flora groaned and flopped onto her back, arms spread out at her sides. “That was right embarrassing.” 

Millie leaned over the edge of the bed and grinned down at her. “Come on, that was a little funny. Especially the part when you fell.” 

Flora reached up and poked her in the cheek. “No, it was not.” 

Rolling her eyes, Millie stood up and held out her hands for Flora. She grabbed them and lifted Flora off the ground. 

“If we can’t kiss what are we supposed to do?” Flora moaned, lying down on her stomach on Millie’s bed, putting her head in the crook of her elbow and watching Millie from under her eyelashes. 

“I didn’t bring you here just to make out, you weirdo.” 

“A foolish choice, truly.” Flora sat up on her elbows and raised one eyebrow. “Have you seen me?” 

“We,” Millie said, ignoring her as she tossed Flora her bag that she’d set on the desk earlier, “Are going out.”

“Fine,” she sighed, standing up and slipping her bag over her shoulder. “Let me go tell Oliver.”

Millie grabbed her hand, and shook her head when Flora frowned. 

_“Alone.”_

_“Oh,”_ Flora breathed. “Wow, I had no idea you had it in you, Quint,” she smirked, pretending to fan herself. 

Millie snorted. “It gets kind of annoying when he follows us everywhere.”

 _“Right?_ He must get bored.”

“He has to,” Millie agreed as she walked over to the other side of the room. “Are you coming?” she asked when Flora wasn’t following her.

Flora’s eyes widened. “Okay, okay, okay,” she chanted to herself. Millie looked up at her and frowned. “Every American movie I’ve ever watched has included a teenager sneaking out of their bedroom window.” She pushed her sunglasses back down over her eyes and wiped her hands on her dress. “I’m ready.” 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Millie frowned and cast a glance at the window next to her, realizing Flora had assumed they were sneaking out via her bedroom window. “Oh, excuse you, we’re not _animals,”_ she scoffed. “We sneak out the front door.” She grabbed her purse and checked to make sure her house key was in it. She shoved her wallet in and beckoned Flora to follow her.

“Are you ready?” she asked. 

Flora looked around in her bag to make sure she had everything before nodding. 

“We’re going to use the front door, if that’s alright with you, Your Majesty,” Millie joked.

“Your Majesty is my mum, _I’m_ Your Highness.”

“The only thing you are to me is my idiot girlfriend, now let’s _go.”_

They slowly made their way down the hall, stopping at the top of the stairs to listen. They heard Millie’s dad asking Oliver questions about his job, Millie’s stepmom chiming in every now and then.

Millie motioned to Flora and they quietly descended the stairs, pausing whenever a step creaked. 

When they finally made it to the front door, Flora was grinning from ear to ear.

Millie’s stomach did a little flip at the sight.

She unlocked the door and opened it silently. She ushered Flora through it and followed suit, closing the door gently behind her and locking it.

“Come on,” Millie whispered as she turned around, grabbing Flora’s hand and racing with her down the street.

They laughed unbidden in the hot air as they ran through the house filled streets.

When they got farther away, Millie texted her dad that they had left and to tell Flora’s bodyguard that they were fine. She didn’t want anyone to check in on them and panic when they realized Millie and Flora weren’t in her room. He responded saying to keep her location on and to be careful, especially in case someone noticed Flora, but to have fun all the same.

Millie knew it must have been difficult for her dad to raise her alone when he’d thought he would be doing it beside the woman he loved. She was so thankful for her dad and she knew she needed to tell him that more. 

Millie pocketed her phone and grabbed Flora’s hand as they walked down the street. She pointed houses and parks and buildings out to Flora, telling her stories from her childhood that revolved around these places. Millie wondered if she was boring her, but Flora just smiled and nodded along, looking wherever she pointed.

“So where are we going?” Flora asked as they crossed a street.

Millie swung their arms up and down, giddy at the feeling of Flora’s hand in hers. When they had started dating, Flora had stopped putting the crook of her elbow in Millie’s and had chosen to hold her hand instead. 

Millie quite liked the change. 

“There’s a small town square over here,” she said. “They have some restaurants, a few boutiques, and a CVS. The boutiques are so cute, you’ll love them.” 

Flora’s eyes lit up. “Oh, you really know the way to a girl’s heart, Miss Quint.”

Millie snorted. “What’s the way to my heart then, since I’m not a huge fan of shopping?”

Giving her a bored look, Flora said, “Dirt and rocks.”

A laugh bubbled out of Millie, and she flicked Flora’s shoulder. “Shut up!”

“What? It’s true!” Flora argued. “You’re a geology nerd! Don’t tell me you suddenly forgot that.”

Millie looked both ways as they crossed another street. “I like the occasional flowers and chocolates.”

“Wait, let me take notes,” Flora said and pulled out her phone with her free hand, opening the notes app. “What else?”

“I’m also partial to princesses.”

Flora looked up from her phone and raised an eyebrow. “And princes, if we’re getting technical.”

“That too, I suppose, but, unfortunately, I only have my eyes on one royal at the moment,” she said, grinning.

“A royal?” Flora scoffed. “How pretentious. _I_ for one have my eyes on a commoner.”

Millie gasped, breaking character and shoving a laughing Flora off the sidewalk. “Asshole!”

“How did you know I was talking about _you?”_

“Alright, that’s enough.”

Flora’s grin widened and she pulled Millie flush against her. “Okay, I’m sorry, come on, let’s go. I’m interested to see how peasants shop,” she said, kissing her lightly on the nose.

Millie danced away, giggling. “Oh, screw you.”

“Maybe later, sweetheart.”

She blushed bright red and Flora laughed, following Millie as she marched away.

♛ ♡ ♛

Millie took them to the same town square she’d always go to on Saturday mornings with her family, or late Friday nights to watch movies with her friends. Each corner of this town made up little parts of Millie, and she was so happy to finally be able to share it with Flora.

“We can go in there first,” Millie said, pointing at one of the boutiques.

The shopping center wasn’t overly crowded, but Millie was still on edge, anxious that someone would recognize Flora.

Noticing her nervous glances, Flora placed a hand on Millie’s shoulder. “Hey, it’s alright, no one will notice me. And even if they do, you’ve seen my form. I can throw a mean pint,” she said, obviously trying to calm her down. Millie gave her a look and Flora sighed. “Look, I would be more worried if we were in the UK, but I doubt many, if _any,_ Americans will recognize me.” 

Millie rolled her eyes and pulled Flora into the air conditioned shop. She let go of Flora’s hand and headed over to the clothing section. “We kissed. On camera,” she said as she started to look through a clothing rack. “And it trended on Twitter for days.”

“Old news,” Flora said and waved her hand absently, moving to sift through a collection of necklaces. “Anyway, half of the people here probably think I’m English or something.”

Before Millie could make a sarcastic retort back, a worker came up next to Flora and smiled at them both. “Can I help you guys with anything?”

“Oh, no thank you,” Flora responded. “We’re just looking.” 

“Oh!” the woman exclaimed. “I love your accent! Are you from England?” she asked. 

Flora shot a glance at Millie as if to say _What did I tell you?_ and looked back at the woman. “Yup,” she said through a tight smile. “Good old England.”

“Aw, that’s great. Well, let me know if I can help you with anything.” 

When the woman walked away Flora went over to Millie and snorted out a quiet laugh. 

“Don’t be an ass,” Millie whispered, swatting Flora’s shoulder. “She was being nice.”

“I didn’t say anything!” Flora said through her laughter. “She simply proved my point. I should be thanking her.” 

“She just got the accents messed up! That’s a simple mistake.”

“You say that like someone who’s guessed someone’s accent wrong before.” Flora looked at her, tapping her chin with her finger in thought. “I bet you get English and Australian accents mixed up, don’t you?”

“What? No, I don’t!”

“Uh, huh. Sure,” Flora grinned, biting her bottom lip.

Millie flushed and looked away. Whenever Flora bit her lip like that, Millie desperately wanted to kiss her, but they were in a shop and, even after their kiss in front of the whole world, she still wasn’t comfortable showing affection with another girl in public.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by Flora gasping, having moved over to another clothing rack. She turned to Millie and held up a lasso, most likely placed there for decoration for people not from Texas.

People like Flora. 

In an awful southern accent, Flora said, “Wanna tie me up with a lasso, cowboy?” She batted her eyelashes and blew Millie a kiss.

Millie gave her a bored stare. “No,” she deadpanned.

Flora pouted and put the lasso back on the rack. “It was worth a try.”

Millie ducked her head to look through the clothing rack. “A for effort then, _love,”_ she said, an equally awful Scottish accent seeping into the end of her sentence. 

They went through the boutique, picking out clothes they wanted to try on. Flora ended up with five shirts, three dresses, and two skirts. Millie ended up with one shirt and a pair of jeans, ignoring Flora every time she tried to give her something to try on. 

“Please,” Flora begged. “Remember how marvelous you looked in that green dress?”

Millie flicked her shoulder and continued sifting through the clothes. She agreed with Flora, though she wouldn’t tell her that. She didn’t feel like trying on every outfit Flora wanted to see her in, but maybe tomorrow. Even though Millie wasn’t as into fashion as Flora, she still knew a few cute shops around town.

After Millie had tried on the shirt and jeans, she checked her phone while Flora tried on the pile of clothes she’d brought in with her. She had a text from her dad telling her the spare bedroom was set up for Flora and a text from Lee asking if she wanted to hang out. She remembered she’d told him yesterday that she would be back home the following day. She decided to call him, which was better than scrolling through Instagram waiting for Flora to finish.

“Millie?” Lee’s voice crackled through the phone. 

“That’s me,” Millie smiled, having missed the sound of her friend’s voice.

 _“Oh my God, Millie!”_ Lee screeched in her ear.

Millie pulled the phone away and chuckled. She put it back up against her ear and heard Lee say something to someone.

“Hey!” he said, talking to Millie again. “Where are you right now? We should meet up!”

“I’m actually out right now. I’m at that boutique, you know, the one by CVS?”

“Wait, seriously? I’m right by you! I’m at that restaurant, the chicken place on the corner. I’m, um…”

Millie frowned. Lee sounded nervous.

“I’m actually with, um, with my boyfriend.”

Oh. _Oh._

This time it was Millie’s turn to screech. _“What the hell? Lee!”_

Flora opened the changing room door and stuck her head out. “Why on Earth are you screaming?”

Millie put the phone against her chest and mouthed Lee’s name.

Flora’s mouth made an ‘O’ shape and she gave her a thumbs up before ducking back into the stall.

“Uh, who was that?” Lee asked when she put her phone back up to her ear.

“That was…” Now it was Millie’s turn to be nervous. “Flora.”

“Flora? As in Flora Baird? Aka the Princess of Scotland aka your _girlfriend?”_ Lee yelled.

Millie really needed to tell him to lower his voice when he spoke on the phone.

“Yup. That’s the one.”

“Okay,” Lee said, suddenly serious, “We need to meet up right now. I _need_ to meet her.”

“Oh thanks a lot, it’s not like you haven’t seen me since Christmas.”

“Aw, you know I missed you, Mills.” The line went silent. “But I want to meet your royal girlfriend.”

Millie laughed. God, she’d missed Lee so much. “Okay, fine. I guess I’m a little intrigued about your mysterious man, too.

“Only a little?” Lee said, and Millie swore she could hear the pout in his voice. 

Millie rolled her eyes even though Lee couldn’t see her. It was the principle of the thing. “So are you guys still at the restaurant right now?” 

“Yeah, Noah gets off in ten minutes.”

The name sounded familiar but Millie couldn’t place it. “Okay, cool,” she said instead as Flora finally emerged from the fitting room, carrying only a dress and a shirt. “Do you want to meet by the fountain? The one outside CVS?” 

“Sure. I’ll text you when we’re coming.” 

“Okay, sounds good.” Millie got up and followed Flora to the register, watching as she made small talk with the cashier.

“Bye,” Lee singsonged into the phone, making Millie laugh. 

“Bye,” she replied, hanging up. 

“How’s Lee?” Flora asked as she sidled up next to Millie, shopping bag in hand. 

“Good. He’s actually down the street right now. Do you want to meet him?” 

“Do I want to meet my girlfriend’s best friend? Obviously,” Flora answered as they left the shop.

“Good, because he wants to meet you, too.”

Flora nodded and slid her sunglasses back over her eyes.. “As he should.” 

Millie knocked her shoulder against Flora’s and led them to the fountain where she agreed to meet Lee. 

“Oh,” Millie said, stopping in her tracks.

There was someone sitting on the fountain’s edge, typing on her phone. 

The last time Millie had seen her was around this time last year, when she’d caught her kissing Mason on the same fountain. She still looked the same, though her hair had been dyed a different color. Millie knew she would always recognize Jude, no matter how long it had been since they’d last seen each other. 

_First love and all that,_ her brain supplied.

“What?” Flora asked, looking between Millie and Jude, clearly confused as to why Millie had stopped so abruptly. 

“That’s, um… That’s Jude,” she said plainly. She didn’t really know what else to say to that. 

That’s Jude, her first major crush. 

That’s Jude, the girl she thought she’d loved. 

That’s Jude, the girl that broke her heart. 

“Oh,” Flora responded. Her voice had an icy ring to it. She crossed her arms, the plastic bag ruffling against her dress. 

“I’m going to go talk to her,” Millie said, looking at Flora to see her reaction.

To her surprise, Flora merely nodded. “Alright. Holler if you need me.” 

Millie placed her hand on Flora’s shoulder, a silent thank you. She remembered how jealous she’d felt with Tamsin and wondered if Flora felt like this with Jude. 

“I’ll just…” 

Flora waved her on, sitting down on a nearby bench and taking out her phone. 

Millie walked over to Jude and cleared her throat, startling her. 

Jude looked up, shading her eyes from the sun, and gasped. “Millie?”

Millie nodded and smiled. She couldn’t help but miss Jude. She was still her friend, after all. 

Jude stood up and hugged Millie. “Oh my god, it’s been so long!” 

Millie laughed and hugged her back. “It really has.”

She pulled away and dropped her hands from Millie’s shoulder. “So, how are things?” 

Millie suddenly felt an awkward air between them. It made her heart twinge a little. It was sad how they’d once been such good friends. “Things are good, yeah. How’s, um, how’s Darcy?” 

Millie had stopped speaking to her around the same time she’d stopped speaking to Jude, and it wasn’t that she disliked Darcy, it was just that they’d never really been close to begin with. And even though moving away had seemed to create an even larger divide between them, she still wanted to know if her friend was okay.

“Yeah, she’s good. She’s going to UCLA in the fall,” Jude said, sitting down on the fountain and gesturing for Millie to sit. 

“Oh, wow, that’s good. What about you?” Millie asked after she’d sat down. 

“I’m going to community college. I still need to figure out what I want to do.”

Millie nodded. “That’s smart.” 

“What about you?”

“I’m going to UT.”

“Oh, cool.”

Millie laughed awkwardly. “Yeah.”

There was a lull in the conversation and Millie was about to say something to fill the silence when Jude spoke up. 

“I’m sorry,” she blurted out. “I should’ve said this a long time ago. I know I hurt you. I think I… Well, I really liked you and I know that might sound fake after what happened, but it’s true.” Jude took a shaky breath. “But I was also scared and I didn’t know what to do.” 

Millie didn’t say anything. She didn’t know _what_ to say. 

“And I saw a video of you on Twitter. With that princess.”

“Flora,” Millie cut in.

“Right. Flora,” Jude said awkwardly. She cleared her throat and continued. “Well, I saw how happy you were. You never looked at me like you look at her. It was different. It was _more,”_ Jude continued. “I realized I want someone to look at me like that someday.” 

“Oh. Are you and Mason…” Millie trailed off, not sure how to finish her question.

Jude shook her head. “I broke up with him a few weeks into the school year. I don’t even know why we stayed together for so long. I don’t think either of us were really feeling it anymore.” Jude shrugged and smiled sadly. “Now I’m just trying to figure out who I am before I make the same mistake.” 

Millie reached over and grabbed Jude’s hand, squeezing gently. Jude looked up at her and smiled.

Millie let go. She was glad to have her friend back.

Jude glanced over at Flora and then looked back at Millie, smiling softly. “She seems nice. I’m happy for you. Really.”

Millie looked over at Flora. She had her sunglasses high up on her nose with her head tilted down at her phone, but Millie knew she was watching them.

Millie smiled. “Yeah, she’s… She’s amazing.”

“Good,” Jude nodded and looked down at her phone. She typed something and stood up. “Sorry, my mom just texted me that she’s here. I gotta go. I’ll see you around though, right?” she smiled, a genuine, Jude smile. 

“Of course,” Millie said and she meant it. Jude was still her friend and she always would be, nothing would change that. 

She stood up and hugged Jude again.

“I also _need_ to meet Flora soon,” Jude whispered in her ear. 

Millie laughed as she pulled away. “Don’t worry, we’ll all hang out soon. And I mean _all_ of us,” she said pointedly. 

She wanted all her friends to meet Flora. Lee, and Jude, and even Darcy. Flora was a big part of her life and she wanted them to meet her. 

“I’ll see you later,” she waved as Jude walked away. 

Millie made her way over to Flora and sat down next to her on the bench, leaning her head on her shoulder. 

“Well?” Flora asked, putting her phone back in her bag. “How’d it go?”

“It was… weird,” she settled on. “I thought she was everything at the time, you know? Like without her I’d be this broken mess. But I realize I was just being dramatic. Sometimes you’re so focused on one person you don’t see how much happier you’d be without them.”

Flora hummed and Millie knew she was thinking about Tamsin. She reached out and held Millie’s hand. 

“Also, she wants to meet you,” Millie added.

“Obviously. Who wouldn’t want to meet me?” 

Millie laughed, throwing her head back.

She was about to reply when someone screamed her name. She swiveled her head around and found Lee waving his arms erratically, a boy with an amused smile on his face walking beside him. 

_“Lee!”_ she yelled back, launching off the bench and wrapping her arms around her best friend.

“I missed you so much,” he laughed into her neck.

She smiled, feeling tears well in her eyes. “Me too.”

Lee pulled away, giving her a shaky smile. His expression changed as he looked over at Flora, who was standing awkwardly behind Millie. 

“Am I supposed to bow?” he asked aloud, eyes wide. “I feel like I’m supposed to bow.”

Flora rolled her eyes and the boy next to Lee stifled a laugh.

“You don’t need to bow,” Flora said. “I do like some light groveling, though.”

Lee’s eyes got comically bigger and Millie laughed.

“She’s joking, Lee.”

Flora turned to her. “Am I?” she asked. Her sunglasses were low on her nose and Millie could see the twinkle in her eyes. She lightly slapped Flora’s shoulder. 

“Behave.”

Lee relaxed and stepped forward, holding a hand out to Flora. “Nice to meet you, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“All good things, I presume.” 

“You wish,” Millie whispered. She turned to the boy next to Lee and held out her hand to him. He had warm, brown eyes and a kind smile that quirked up on one side. Millie could see why Lee liked him. “You must be Noah,” Millie said and she realized why his name sounded so familiar. 

The boy nodded and smiled shyly, shaking her hand. “And you must be Millie.” 

She leaned over to Lee and not so subtlety whispered, “Chicken Place Finger Guy. Nice.”

Lee blushed bright red and buried his head in his hands while Noah laughed beside him. He was looking at Lee with eyes that were filled with so much fondness they crinkled a little in the corners.

She felt a swell of love for her best friend, for how much he deserved to love and be loved by this boy.

Flora glanced between them, unsure what had just happened.

Millie leaned over and kissed her cheek, threading her fingers with Flora’s. “Tell you later,” she whispered as Noah tried to calm a blushing Lee.

After Noah felt fit that Lee wouldn’t blush to death, he turned to Flora and held out his hand. “I’m Noah,” he smiled.

“I’m Flora,” she grinned back, shaking his hand with her free one.

Noah gave a small laugh. He pointed at Lee and said, “Oh, I already know. He was so excited to meet you, he wouldn’t stop talking about it.”

“Hey!” Millie frowned as Flora barked out a laugh. _“I’m_ your best friend! Weren’t you excited to see me?”

“Well, yeah, but she’s a princess!”

“And, like I said, I’m your _best friend!”_

“Exactly! I already know you!”

“Okay, rude,” Millie said, with absolutely no heat, watching as Lee’s lips quirked up in a grin.

“Right. Now that that’s out of the way,” Flora said, clapping her perfectly manicured hands together, “Is anyone hungry?”

♛ ♡ ♛

Millie waved as Lee and Noah walked away, their joined hands swinging between them as they slowly morphed into silhouettes the farther away they went.

The sun had set behind the buildings, turning the world grey and the only color left was above their heads, in the shade of a purple sky. The street lamps flickered on and Flora rested her head on Millie’s shoulder.

“Lee seems nice,” she said around a yawn. “Noah, too.”

The jet lag seemed to be catching up to Flora and Millie noticed that it was catching up to her, too. She grabbed Flora’s hand and pulled her along. 

It was nice out, the warm air dancing around them as the purple sky faded away. There were cricket chirping from the grass by their feet and in the distance Millie could hear dogs barking. They walked back in a comfortable silence, Flora squeezing Millie’s hand every now and then.

When they got back, Millie’s dad was waiting for them in the front room. He sat up and put his book down when they entered.

“Everything alright?” he asked.

Millie nodded and let go of Flora’s hand. “Where’s everyone?” she asked.

“They went to bed. And now that you’re home that’s my cue to go to bed, too.” Millie’s dad stood up and stretched. He picked up his book and walked over to Millie and Flora. He pointed between them. “I’ll let Oliver yell at you both tomorrow.”

“He doesn’t yell,” Flora said, stifling a yawn. “He just says he’s disappointed and assumes I won’t run off again.”

Millie snorted and her dad laughed. He saw how tired Flora was and waved her upstairs. 

“Your bedroom’s across from Millie’s,” he told her and smiled as she thanked him and headed up the stairs, saying goodnight to Millie on her way up. “I can tell the jet lag is catching up to you both,” her dad added, turning back to Millie. “You should go to bed,” he said.

She nodded in agreement but before she walked away, she hugged him tightly.

“I love you,” she said, her voice muffled against his chest.

He bent down and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “I love you too, Amelia.” He pulled back and smiled down at her. “I’m glad you found Flora. She’s a good fit for you.”

Millie blushed and ducked her head. “Yeah. Yeah I think so too.”

Her dad’s smile turned serious. He shook his finger at her and added, “But there better be no funny business tonight.”

“Oh my god, _Dad,”_ Millie screeched, covering her face with her hands.

Her dad continued, clearing unaware of the embarrassment he was subjecting his daughter to. “I know her room is across from yours and trust me, I know, I was young once and I-”

“Okay, okay, _oh my god,_ I get it!” Millie said. “Goodnight!” she yelled and darted up the stairs, the sound of her dad’s laughter quieting as she shut her bedroom door. She groaned, but she was smiling. 

She was glad her dad was okay with her and Flora dating. She knew he was fond of her and it meant everything to Millie that her dad liked Flora.

Giddy, Millie got ready for bed and turned off her light, unable to stop yawning. She had almost drifted off to sleep when her bedroom door opened and startled her awake. She sat up, rubbing her eyes.

“Flora?” she asked, squinting in the dim light of her room. “What are you doing? If anyone catches you in here-”

Flora cut her off with a snort as she quietly closed the door and climbed into Millie’s bed. “Oh, please. We were roommates for a _year._ This is hardly any different.”

“You just completely skipped over the part where we hated each other for most of that time,” Millie pointed out as she sat up.

Flora paused. “I wouldn’t use the word _hate_ … more like strong dislike.”

Millie rolled her eyes and made room for Flora. “Fine. Stay. But you better be gone before my dad wakes up tomorrow.”

“Worth it,” Flora grinned, snuggling under the covers, “Because you’re adorable when you’re sleepy.” Millie made a noise in the back of her throat at that comment and Flora turned so she was facing her, resting her head on the pillow beside Millie’s. She smiled and reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind Millie’s ear. “You know, I’m glad you insulted me when we first met.”

Millie laid down and turned on her side, facing Flora. “Really?”

“‘Course. How else would I have noticed you if you hadn’t hurled a rude name at me?”

Millie raised her eyebrows, holding back a laugh. “Well in that case, I’m glad you antagonized that stag.”

Flora threw her head back on the pillow and laughed. She shook her head and looked back at Millie, eyes twinkling. “Are you _ever_ going to let that go?”

“Nope,” Mille smirked, popping the “p.” “That was the moment that solidified our friendship… Which, you know,” she said, trailing off.

Flora’s smile turned small, _soft,_ as she watched Millie. In turn, Millie scanned Flora’s face, eyes occasionally dropping to her lips.

“Which lead to this?” Flora asked quietly, tracing Millie’s fingers with her own.

Millie hummed, watching Flora play with her hand. Millie loved that she got to see this side of Flora, the side no one else did.

Flora’s hand stilled and Millie looked up. The expression on Flora’s face caused Millie’s heart to race and her mouth to open ever so slightly, in awe of the fact that she made Flora look like that.

She looked at Millie as if she had made the stars from her tears, the sun from her laugh, the moon from her breath. Flora looked at Millie as if she never wanted to look away, as if it pained her to close her eyes at night because she wouldn’t be able to see her during those dream filled hours. 

No one had ever looked at her like that. 

She didn’t think anyone ever _could_ look at her like that.

She absently wondered if she looked at Flora like this, so open and raw and unafraid. 

Flora leaned closer and that jerked Millie out of her thoughts. Unable to pull her eyes away from Flora’s lips, she felt her heartbeat slow, like her body was made of honey.

“Can I kiss you?” Millie asked and, wow, did she always sound this breathless around Flora?

Flora’s lips pulled up at the corners, dimples popping. “Do you even need to ask, Millie?”

Millie took that as her cue to capture Flora’s lips with her own.

The kiss wasn’t like the kiss before, when they were interrupted by Aunt Vi. It was sweet and gentle, just the two of them in a cocoon of blankets and each other. 

The only way Millie could describe it was that it felt like a breath of fresh air, like coming home. 

When they pulled away, Flora rested her head on Millie’s chest. 

“I’m going to Uni in the States,” Flora blurted against Millie’s shirt.

“What?” she adequately responded, her brain still muddled from their kiss.

“I talked to my mum about it,” Flora explained quietly. “She wasn’t exactly thrilled, but she did see some benefits in a Scottish Princess making connections with people in the United States.”

“Are you… Is this because of me?” Millie asked, sitting up, causing Flora to sit up too. “I don’t want you to base a major life choice off of where I’ll be.”

Smirking, Flora cocked her head. “Aw, it’s sweet you think everything is about you.”

Millie groaned and rolled her eyes. “Be serious!” she hissed, quietly in case anyone in the house was still awake.

“I am!” Flora argued. “I thought long and hard about it and decided I want to go to school here. However,” she said, holding up her hand to stop Millie from interrupting, “Your school choice did not affect my decision. But it will be nice to know you aren’t as far away as you would have been had I gone to school in the UK.”

Millie relaxed, leaning back against her pillow. “Okay. That makes me feel a bit better.”

“You make it seem like I’m a fool and that I didn’t think this through! Could a fool get into Berkeley?” Flora asked, eyes sliding over to Millie, a gigantic smirk on her face.

 _“Berkeley?”_ Millie screeched, then clamped a hand over mouth, remembering they needed to be quiet.

Flora stifled a laugh while Millie feared for her life. She waited a few moments, wondering if any of her family members were about to barge into her room and scold them for breaking her dad’s only rule. 

_“Berkeley?”_ she repeated once she was positive no one had heard her outburst.

Flora nodded, still smiling. “I suppose not all the universities in the States are, you know, _rubbish.”_

“Oh, shut up,” Millie laughed, dragging Flora down on top of her, causing Flora to blush. “I’m so happy and so proud of you and _oh my god_ my girlfriend is going to Berekely!”

Flora laughed, wrapping her arms around Millie, burying her blushing face in her neck. Millie loved how red Flora turned after compliments. That shade of red might be Millie’s favorite color, but then again, Flora’s eyes were a lovely blue. 

_“And,”_ Millie said, gasping, “that means we won’t be too far away from each other.”

Flora nodded against her. “It’s a lot closer than Scotland.”

Feeling a surge of an emotion Millie was too tired to examine, she turned her head and kissed Flora’s cheek. Flora leaned back, still hovering over her.

“I’m proud of you too, you know,” Flora said, deadly serious. 

“Because I got into UT?” Millie frowned. “Come on, it’s not _Berkeley.”_

“That doesn’t matter!” Flora said, clearly upset. “It’s still important. Don’t downplay your achievements because of someone else’s. You’re the smartest person I know.” She crossed her arms and tipped her chin up. “Now say it.”

“What?” Millie laughed.

“Say ‘I, Amelia Quint, am the smartest person in the whole world.’”

“But that’s not-”

“Just say it! As Princess of Scotland I command you to say it.”

“Alright, your Highness,” Millie said, sticking her tongue out. “I, Amelia Quint, am the smartest person in the whole world.”

“Now like you mean it.”

“But I don’t mean it!”

“Well, pretend like you do.” 

Millie sat up straight and grabbed Flora’s hands, covering them with her own. She looked deep into Flora eyes and said, “I, Amelia Quint, am _the_ _smartest_ person in the _whole_ _wide_ _world_ and I have the _best_ girlfriend _ever.”_

Flora grinned and grabbed her face, kissing her deeply. She pulled away, a goofy smile on her face and blurted, “I love you.”

Millie blinked. “Wait what?” she asked, not sure if she’d heard her correctly.

Flora’s expression became carefully blank. “What?” 

“What did you just say?”

“You mean just now?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Yes, you did. What did you say?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You did! Just now!”

“Are you quite sure?”

“Flora,” Millie groaned fondly. “Come on.” She leaned forward and tucked a strand of hair behind Flora’s ear. “Say it again.” 

Flora ducked her head. Ever so quietly, she said, “I don’t… I don’t know if you’ll say it back,” and Millie realized Flora was shaking. 

“Oh, oh Flora. _Flora,_ I love you, too. I love you so much,” she admitted. “I thought I was so obvious. I’ve wanted to say it for ages but I didn’t want to scare you away.”

“Oh,” Flora said dumbly, flushing. “Well, thank you. For waiting for me to be ready, that is.” 

Millie snorted and kissed her quickly, dragging her back down under the covers. 

They talked for a while, still dizzy with the feeling of loving and being loved in return.

“We really need to sleep,” Millie eventually said, yawning around her words.

“But I’m not tired,” Flora insisted.

Millie was too tired to roll her eyes. She buried herself deeper under the covers and tucked her head under Flora’s chin. “Babe,” she mumbled, “You almost fell asleep on the walk home. Come on, go to sleep, I want to show you some more places tomorrow.”

“Alright, alright,” Flora relented and wrapped her arm around Millie’s waist.

They fell asleep in less than a minute, content in each other’s arms.

And if Millie’s dad gave them a knowing look the next day during breakfast, well, it was worth it.

_I’ll get us coffees for the road_

_And meet you at the station hall_

_This trip has been so magical_

_Let’s see what happens tomorrow_

\- Rushed Lovers by Girl in Red

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this fic written for over a year and I thought now was a good time as any to finally publish it. Hope you enjoyed it! :)


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